The present invention is directed to a device and process for unloading large bulk bags having an upper end and a bottom interconnected by a continuous sidewall, which bags are commonly known as flexible intermediate bulk containers.
Bulk bags have been developed to fill the need for economical shipping containers in the size range between individual paper bags and bulk shipment. These containers and the equipment used to fill and discharge them are designed to handle dry, free-flowing granular material. The range of materials being transported has expanded to include fine powders, semi-dry solids and compactable solids. Discharge problems that cannot be resolved by the conventional method of shaking and vibrating the bulk bag have begun to appear. Also, the rate of flow through the bottom spout of the bag may be too slow to meet process or unloading requirements. In many cases, bottom discharge spouts become plugged and the material will not discharge.
To overcome these problems, it is necessary to cut away the bottom of the bulk bag to remove the material. This method creates a "dump situation", which is unsatisfactory for safety and health reasons, particularly if the content is a hazardous material.